Coronavirus cases climb again

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Lincoln Parish is now at 22. That’s according to the Louisiana Department of Health’s daily update issued at noon Tuesday.

The tally is three more than Monday’s 19 diagnosed cases. Most of the local cases — 55% — are men, the numbers show.

The update also shows coronavirus tests administered in Lincoln Parish have climbed to 215.

Both local and state officials continue to say the increase in confirmed cases reflects labs clearing out a backlog of tests and not necessarily an immediate surge in the virus.

Tuesday’s statewide total showed 16,284 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. That’s a jump of 1,417 cases from the previous day’s report. The virus is now in 63 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes.

Only Tensas Parish has not yet reported a COVID-19 case.

So far, the virus has killed 582 Louisianans.